WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 6

WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 6

CLIMBING BACK: Teams off to a slow start are justified in believing that they can turn it around. Since the current playoff format (12 teams) was instituted in 1990, 13 teams have rebounded from being at least three games under .500 after the season’s first five weeks or later to qualify for the postseason. Since 1990, teams that were three or more games below .500 after Week 5 or later and made the playoffs:

YEAR

TEAM

RECORD

FINAL RECORD

ADVANCED TO

1990

New Orleans Saints

2-5

8-8

Wild Card

1992

San Diego Chargers

1-4

11-5

Divisional

1993

Houston Oilers

1-4

12-4

Divisional

1994

New England Patriots

3-6

10-6

Wild Card

1995

Detroit Lions

2-5, 3-6

10-6

Wild Card

1995

San Diego Chargers

4-7

9-7

Wild Card

1996

Jacksonville Jaguars

3-6, 4-7

9-7

Championship Game

2002

Tennessee Titans

1-4

11-5

Championship Game

2002

New York Jets

1-4, 2-5

9-7

Divisional

2004

Green Bay Packers

1-4

10-6

Wild Card

2008

San Diego Chargers

4-7, 4-8, 5-8

8-8

Divisional

2010

Seattle Seahawks

6-9

7-9

Divisional

2011

Denver Broncos

1-4, 2-5

8-8

Divisional

-- NFL--

MILE-HIGH MANNING: Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING will face the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football. Manning has 36 career games with at least three touchdown passes and zero interceptions, including two such games in 2012. With at least three touchdowns and zero interceptions on Monday night, Manning would surpass BRETT FAVRE (36) for the most such games in NFL history.

The players with the most games with three-plus touchdown passes and zero interceptions in NFL history:

PLAYER

MOST GAMES WITH 3 TD PASSES & 0 INTs

Brett Favre

36

Peyton Manning

36*

Tom Brady

32*

Drew Brees

24*

Dan Marino

18

Fran Tarkenton

18

*Active

-- NFL--

THE RACE IS ON: Houston defensive end J.J. WATT and Green Bay linebacker CLAY MATTHEWS will be featured when the Texans and Packers meet on Sunday Night Football. Watt, who ranks second in the NFL with 7.5 sacks and Matthews, who has an NFL-best eight sacks, can both challenge to rank in the top three for the most sacks through a team’s first six games since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

The players with the most sacks through a team’s first six games:

PLAYER

TEAM

YEAR

SACKS

Keith Millard

Minnesota Vikings

1989

12

Kevin Greene

Carolina Panthers

1998

11

Michael Strahan

New York Giants

2001

10.5

six tied

---

10

NO LUCK HERE: Indianapolis rookie quarterback ANDREW LUCK has passed for 300 yards (313 and 362) in each of the Colts’ past two games.

With a 300-yard performance on Sunday against the New York Jets, Luck will become the first rookie quarterback to pass for 300 yards in three consecutive games in NFL history.

MR. OCTOBER: In a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Game, ELI MANNING and the New York Giants will travel to San Francisco. For his career, Manning is 24-5 (.828) as a starter in October, the best mark among quarterbacks who began their career in the Super Bowl era.

The highest career winning percentage in October among quarterbacks who began their career in the Super Bowl era (minimum 20 starts):

PLAYER

RECORD IN OCTOBER

WIN PCT.

Eli Manning*

24-5

.828

Kordell Stewart

16-4

.800

Daryle Lamonica

18-5-3

.771

Ben Roethlisberger*

23-7

.767

Tom Brady*

32-10

.762

*Active

Note: Ties prior to 1972 did not count in winning percentage.

-- NFL--

AIMING FOR NO. 1 SPOT: Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER (27,703) needs 287 passing yards on Thursday Night Football against the Tennessee Titans to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRY BRADSHAW for the most career passing yards in Steelers history. In 14 seasons (1970-1983) with the Steelers, Bradshaw played in 168 games; Roethlisberger will play in his 119th career game on Thursday night.

PLAYER

GAMES PLAYED

PASSING YARDS

Terry Bradshaw

168

27,989

Ben Roethlisberger*

118

27,703

*Active

-- NFL--

JUST CRUZ-ING: New York Giants wide receiver VICTOR CRUZ will play in his 25th career game when the Giants face the 49ers on Sunday. In 24 career games, Cruz has totaled 119 receptions for 1,974 receiving yards and can challenge the top five for the most receptions and receiving yards among players in their first 25 games in NFL history.

The players with the most receptions through the first 25 games of a career in NFL history:

PLAYER

TEAM

RECEPTIONS

Anquan Boldin

Arizona Cardinals

154

Reggie Bush

New Orleans Saints

143

Marques Colston

New Orleans Saints

138

Tom Fears

Los Angeles Rams

131

Charley Hennigan

Houston Oilers

126

Victor Cruz

New York Giants

119*

*In 24 career games

The players with the most receiving yards through the first 25 games of a career in NFL history:

Intro: The Colts put together their most dominant performance of the season on Monday night, in a resounding 41-10 victory over the Jets. Here were live in-game updates from the Colts (6-6) taking on the Jets (3-9) in Week 14.

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Intro: Each week, we will take a look at 10 players that will have a big impact in the game. Who are the "Tantalizing Ten" when the Colts (6-6) oppose Houston (6-6) in a pretty big Week 14 contest at Lucas Oil Stadium?